


Home Remedies

by Pastelrogue



Series: The Farmer and her Doctor [1]
Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Gen, the farmer has a crush, utter fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-13
Updated: 2017-07-13
Packaged: 2018-12-01 16:10:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11489946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pastelrogue/pseuds/Pastelrogue
Summary: A very fluffy, sniffly one shot for my new favourite pairing.The Farmer wants to do something nice. The Doctor doesn't do well at looking after himself. The Farmer intervenes.





	Home Remedies

**Author's Note:**

> Basically after binging Stardew Valley for several consecutive weekends I've decided this ship is the hill I'm going to die on. I also feel like we need more Harvey so expect this to be the first of many.

It was a good day.

Clover stood on her porch and surveyed her small farm with a sense of relief. It had been hard work but she had finally managed to rig her fields with sprinklers the week before. Now as the sun began its ascent her crops were already tended to, the fragile sprouts dotting the newly tilled soil. The new chicks that had come over from Marnie seemed to be settling in, scratching at the turning grass and indulging in the occasional dust bath, and if her new fertiliser delivered on its promises she had high hopes for her new pumpkin patch.

Today she was taking the day off. Equipped with her favourite straw hat and basket of pickled vegetables and jams, Clover was looking forward to her trip into town.

As she closed he gate behind her and set down the dirt trail she checked over her bundle of goodies. Cranberry jams for Jodi and Evelyn, some hot pepper jelly for Shane, some blueberry jam for Mayor Lewis and a jar of the doctor's favourite pickles. She was particularly proud of the pickles, she'd used the best of the harvest and she'd packed the jar in some brown paper with a twine bow. It wasn't much but Clover was hoping the good doctor would notice the extra effort she'd put in to his present.

It wasn't anything more than just a simple crush. That what she kept telling herself each time she showed up at the clinic, either with a thermos of coffee or with a few new scrapes and sprains from her cave delving expeditions. He was a busy man, a respectable man, and enough years older than her that the age difference was noticeable. She doubted he would have the time for a farmer who had only earlier this year been living with her parents and working in a dead end admin job. He was just so...earnest and passionate. Clover felt herself blushing at the summer luau when he'd offered to apply sunscreen to her neck and back. He'd just been doing his job as town doctor, it hadn't been anything more, but Clover would have been lying if she'd not relived that memory over and over during the increasingly cold nights on the farm.

The sound of crunching leaves brought her mind back to the present and she couldn't help but smile as the path turned into town. When she had first moved to Pelican Town she'd been struck by how charming the town square was, everything had been covered in a spray of colours, blossoms blooming from every direction. Now as as the year has turned to autumn Clover could see the odd jack-o'-lantern here and there, as well as several hay bales. Each season showed a new face, it was such a wonderful change after the constant grey of Joja.

The clinic was first up, and Clover was unsurprised to see Harvey still hadn't unlocked the door. It was still early and she knew he had so much to take care of in the mornings. She decided to make her other visits first and leave the doctor for last. Patting the small brown parcel in her basket Clover set it to greet the other villagers already awake and starting their day.

It wasn't until 2 o'clock that Clover made her way back to the clinic, but the door was still locked. She knew Maru had the day off but the clinic should have been open all the same. Setting her basket down Clover pushed her hat back on her forehead and checked for the spare key under the flowerpots. Maru had shared that helpful piece of info with her back when she'd first had to make a late night visit after nearly breaking her ankle on some cave slime. Unlocking the door Clover looked around the reception room. No sign of activity at all. It was bizarre. Clover closed the door behind her and made her way to Harvey's office, but still no sign of him. If it had been anyone else Clover would have ignored it but she knew how dedicated Harvey was to his work. Something was up.

She debated with herself before checking the door that led to Harvey's apartment. The door gently swung open and Clover took that as all the encouragement she needed. Wiping her work boots on the mat she made her way upstairs, knocking on the door before peeking her head in.

"Harvey? It's just me, Clover. I wanted to drop something off, are you okay?"

The was the sound of shuffling about, a heavy thump, followed swiftly with a half hearted curse to Yoba. As Clover stepped into the flat she spotted the doctor leaning over his kitchen table, a blanket draped haphazardly over his shoulders. His usually combed hair was a mess and his glasses were in the process of falling down his face. As he looked up he seemed flushed, a sheen of sweat on his forehead.

"Clover! I wasn't expecting a visit today, I'm sorry but I'm not really..."

"You're sick."

"It's just a bad cold. Turn of the season so hardly anything really."

"Harvey..."

Placing her basket and hat by the door Clover walked over, ignoring Harvey's flustered protests and checked his forehead.

"Really Clover I'm fine."

"You have a fever. You get back into bed, let me help."

Had the fever not left the doctor quite so weak he might have been able to resist, but as it was Harvey let himself be shepherded towards his bed, Clover holding the blanket-cum-cape while he settled back into the pillows. Once satisfied that Harvey had been sufficiently tucked in Clover disappeared to his kitchenette, grateful to see that he seemed stocked up on lemons and ginger. She set up a pot of tea to brew on the cooker and looked around. Unsurprisingly the place was looking a little shabby. Plates had been left to soak in the sink, the desk was littered with various patient records and yesterday's coffee had been left stagnant and forgotten.

Quietly Clover started to tidy up, checking every now and then on the tea and on Harvey who seemed to have dozed off. His breathing was rattled and laboured and Clover felt her heart clench at the sight of his rosy face poking out from under the blankets.

Once the tea was ready, Clover searched through the cupboards for honey, a small smile on her face as she spotted one of her homemade jars. It was half empty already, and it gave Clover a deep sense of contentment to know Harvey actually enjoyed the gifts she dropped off for him all the time.

Setting up a tray with the teapot and mug Clover made her way back over to the bed, dragging a chair over from the desk. The movement seemed to rouse Harvey as he peered up at Clover past the blankets and sheets.

"I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"I know."

"I'm not really that sick."

"Harvey."

"Okay maybe I am that sick."

"Why didn't you ask Maru to come over to help?"

"She's got too much going on than to cover my shift in the office. I thought yesterday that I'd be alright but when I woke up this morning..."

"Here drink this tea. Lots of honey, so it should help your throat."

"Thanks Clover."

The pair sat quietly while Harvey sipped at the hot tea. Clover adjusted the blankets again. She was aware that she was fussing over him but based on the way Harvey's mouth was quirking up at the corner perhaps it wasn't so unwelcome.

"Do you have any medicine you want me to fetch for you?"

"I think perhaps just the old fashioned home remedies will do me the world of good. It's only a bad cold really, nothing some hot tea can't fix."

"Well, I have some food frozen in storage back at the farm. I'll see if I can bring some parsnip soup over later for you to reheat."

Harvey grinned over the rim of the mug. "Thank you Nurse Clover."

The farmer blushed, ducking her head as she started examining the suddenly very interesting rug on the floor.

Harvey reached over to hold Clover's hand. Nervously the farmer looked up to meet his eyes.

"Thank you Clover, for being so sweet. It's nice to be looked after like this."

"Don't be silly, it's miserable when you're sick and you're on your own."

Harvey smiled indulgently and looked as if he was going to continue before a coughing fit caught him by surprise. Clover winced as she rubbed his back as the coughing subsided. She felt awful that she couldn't be of more help, really all she could do was keep him company.

"How about I read to you and you can get some rest?"

"Oh you don't have to do that!"

"Come on, lie back and I'll read to you."

Admitting defeat Harvey set his mug to the side and sighed contentedly as Clover settled in the chair with a novel she could see Harvey was part-way through.

As the afternoon sun waned in the sky, the doctor drifted off to Clover's voice, a gentle smile on his face as he was finally able to rest. Clover quietly gathered her things, planning to return later with a few more things to keep Harvey healthy and well fed. As she turned to leave she stopped and impulsively pressed a kiss to Harvey's forehead.

He slept on, oblivious to the quiet act of courage that had taken place.

Giddily returning to the farm Clover smiled to herself. It hadn't turned out as she had expected, but today had been a good day.


End file.
